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The Boys of Ocean Beach are back!

The idea of sun, surf, and sand has occupied Summer's thoughts since leaving Ocean Beach for college-that and the four boys she left in South Carolina. The boys haven't stopped thinking about her either and want more than anything to provide her with a local's view of Ocean Beach. Last year was for fun and this year is for something more-testing their relationships to see if they can last.

Are the boys of Ocean Beach ready to commit or are they just in for another summer of fun?

Summer's Kiss is a WhyChoose new adult romance with steamy fun on the beach!

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2018

228 people are currently reading
340 people want to read

About the author

Angel Lawson

150 books4,011 followers

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5 stars
236 (26%)
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281 (31%)
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275 (30%)
2 stars
77 (8%)
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25 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
Profile Image for Angel.
1,189 reviews14 followers
May 1, 2023
This book was better than the first. There was an actual punchline and no cliffhanger...I would have given it 4 stars but chapter 19 messed me up. And it will anyone that reads it. Trust me. It made ZERO sense. And was poorly placed in the book. I have to wonder if it was a publisher error and in that case, it only harmed the author. Imo
69 reviews
October 20, 2018
Needs work

I really liked the first one but this book could use some more work. Plot wise I felt like Summer has learned nothing and hasn’t grown at all. Her secret relationship with Mason caused nothing but trouble but she still wants to keep her new relationships a secret which lead to more hurt feelings, fights, and misunderstandings. There is little to no healthy communication between her and the guys which is disappointing given the fact that they’ve been together for a year now. Chapter 13 feels likes it was put in at the wrong place on accident. It takes place right after Summer gets back in town but it’s place in the book is after she’s been there for awhile and there is no explanation for the flashback. It could also use another run past an editor. There were quite a few mistakes. The ending strangely enough was good. It tied up all the lose ends and saw everyone all happy and together.
Profile Image for Kayla.
41 reviews7 followers
August 28, 2025
The 2nd book in The Boys of Ocean Beach did not disappoint. This book flew by; I read it in just a few hours. I wish the 2nd book had the length of the first book because I feel it was a bit rushed. I loved the added layer of new characters. The addition of a secondary plot twist gave the book a suspense element!
The boys were right Summer was a different kind of person. Even though their relationships are not the most conventional they all bring out the best of each other. I'm not sure that this type of relationship would work outside of this small town it was an interesting dynamic and display of the "why choose" trope.

I will definitely be putting this on my recommendation list for people looking for a quick series!
Profile Image for Victoria.
338 reviews
August 8, 2023
I don’t think this book was proof read. A random chapter pops up in the middle of the book that was supposed to be in the beginning and there were lots of typos. The FMC Summer is so bland and makes the WORST decisions, I don’t understand how 4 boys fall in love with her and say she changed their lives as she doesn’t really do much of anything throughout either book.
239 reviews8 followers
October 24, 2018
This felt like a series that was rushed into one book. So, unless I'm mistaking the book, the first book was a book the author had already written and converted to a reverse harem and then wrote a sequel to based upon reader requests for more. The first book suffered a little bit for this because Lawson didn't take the time and pages necessary to develop the relationship with what was now four guys, but it was a decent enough read to continue on to book 2 and see where she took things now that she was writing a reverse harem from scratch. Sadly, Lawson didn't develop her characters in this iteration of the story either.

I'll elaborate on the problems more later, because it will contain spoilers, but for anyone deciding should I read this without ruining the book, you are safe for now. Again, you have great potential. Everyone is back at Ocean Beach for a new summer, four potential villains are introduced, the book Summer helped her mom with in book 1 is doing really well and her mom is away on a book tour leaving Summer to navigate Ocean Beach alone with the guys. Unfortunately who the ultimate bad guy will be is blatantly obvious to anyone who has read or watched any sort of crime drama, meaning you aren't going to be on the edge of your seat in suspense waiting to figure out who the bad guy is. You aren't even going to be mildly shocked. Its a huge duh, and the big reveal of why is laid out for you well before it's actually revealed so there is no surprise factor. Summer's relationship with the guys is both forced, too slow, and too rushed which leaves the whole thing just really unsatisfying. If there was going to be a book 3, and from the way things wrap up there wont be, I would't read it without some sort of assurance from Lawson.

Spoilers ahead.

Ok, first the relationships between Summer and the guys just don't make any sense. They were all "dating" for the nine months they were all off at school, but Summer only saw each of the guys once even though the guys were split between two different schools, so at the very least she should have seen each of them twice. And then this not seeing them at all thing totally ignores the fact that Summer's mom now lives with Richard, so Summer would have been back with all of the guys for the week of Thanksgiving break (less Nick for football), the six or so weeks of Christmas break (remember those long marvelous weeks of freedom in college), and the week of spring break, but that never happened in Lawson's world. Instead they remained in an exclusive five way relationship barely talking or interacting so she could get them back to Ocean Beach for another summer....
Then, despite the fact that they have basically dated for three weeks, because again, those nine months nothing was going on except for no I swear I'm totally not being cat fished by the girl/guys I talk to on the internet but who is never, ever, ever here, Summer is demanding they all commit to her for life. In or out guys, you have to decide as rising college sophomores are you committing marriage to a girl you have dated for three weeks? Yeah, that's weird. Also what is up with Summer repeatedly having sex in her mom's office. Little creepy.

Onto the bad guys. You have Avery, the twenty something townie who still hangs out with all the high school kids and is obsessed with Summer's mom and the latest story, the two mean girls (Jessica and some girl who's name I forgot) who are still in high school and have a huge crushes on the Ocean Beach boys and as such are willing to bring Summer down to get them, the reporter who is doing a story on Summer and her mom, and the other townie in the bar who Summer emasculates when he hits on her rather crassly.

Avery is the grandson of the serial killer who attacked Summer's mom, even though he didn't know that until he checked county records after the book came out, and wants revenge on Summer's bloodline for the harm caused to his family. It doesn't make much sense, don't dwell on his supposed logic. Avery is everywhere once he gets introduced, you are basically smacked in the face with the fact that this guy is going to be your killer every time he appears on the page, he is just that cliche. It would have been so much better if Avery as the potential killer had been drawn out over several books, letting him inundate himself into the fridges of Summer's life before eventually striking several books down the line and adding his betrayal into the mix. You could have started out with Summer having to overcome the mean girls, who frankly weren't that mean, all they did was suggest to people that Summer was interested in or dating more than one of the guys and tell the guys if they were in an open relationship with Summer the mean girls were down to get into the mix. You could have had the mean girls stirring up some real trouble, keeping the locals away from the bookstore, something Summer's cousin needed the income from to support her new baby, and have that feed into a show down with Pete and Whit's parents. There was some foreshadowing that their parents would have a problem with the relationship but nothing ever came of it.

Even better yet, hold off on the whole parents and the mean girl/the whole small town thinks you are a whore thing until book 3 and let book 2 be about Whit pulling away and getting into trouble because he is so torn up about the Citadel and self sabotaging because he doesn't want to go back but his history with his abusive (its alluded) father doesn't have him seeing his worth and it comes to a head at the skate park where Avery happens to be there as Whit and the emasculated townie (Brent I think) go at it over Summer's honor. People are arrested. Everyone is back at Justin and Whit's place when Whit's dad storms in in a drunken rage. Whit's dad is arrested. Richard steps in and helps apologizing saying he should have stepped in a long time ago. Maybe its revealed Whit has a small inheritance from his mom (I think we are told she is dead) maybe he is still on his own but can stay with Richard. Whatever it is that book builds on Whit's relationship with Summer, he gets out of the Citadel, an evil is still lurking. (The fan mail and the daisy should be continued through all the books).

Lawson doesn't have to skip ahead to the following summer at this point, she can have Whit tag along to Vanderbilt with Summer while he takes a break and plans for life, leading us into the fall semester and Summer taking steps to transfer to the University of Charleston, something Whit helps her surprise the other guys with when they are all home for Thanksgiving. In come our mean girls and the reporter. The mean girls try to break up Summer and the guys by doing something a little more than just uh you know she is hooking up with your friends to. Pete is the focus of this book as his relationship with summer is put to the test as his parents demand he stays away from her because she is bad news, but they eventually come around rising above the whole southern conservative culture thing because their son's happiness matters most.

Book 4 would bring you the reporter publishing her story on the impact of the serial killer on this mother daughter duo and how it has lead the daughter into an untraditional relationship with four boys she met in the killer's old stomping groups. Uh oh. The Citadel isn't fond of the world wide media one of its students and star football players is getting, that means its Nick's time to shine. Does he stay at the Citadel? Does he transfer schools? Does he have a season ending injury or go pro before graduating getting a spot on the Carolina Panthers? We don't know, that's what book 4 is for and its our chance to really see Nick and Summer's relationship.

Book 5 everything has been puttering along. Everyone lives out in Richard's guest house together when they are all home for breaks. Everyone is happy. The fallout from the news article has finally been laid to rest and Summer's mom even got a movie deal out of it, for the book not Summer's love life, that they are going to start shooting that summer in Ocean Beach. In addition the tourists the Ocean Beach crew now have to deal with all these Hollywood types in town. It doesn't help that the creepy fan mail has really picked up since the movie started rolling. The reporter is back in town. She apologizes to Summer, Summer and the guys forgive her, say it was rough at the time but it ended up being the best thing for them because it forced them out of hiding. Reporter shares the postcards she has been getting from the super fan. Movie is set to wrap or wraps, Summer and the reporter go missing. Avery has them in a trailer and is going to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, now having had several years to go down the rabbit hole and decide his grandfather was unfairly treated and the movie is vilifying a misunderstood man who would have totally understood Avery and loved him. Avery gets upset when the reporter mentions the postcards to him and how they are probably from some lunatic who would never actually do anything, just likes to run their mouth, which spurns him into action kidnapping her and Summer and then basically everything that goes down with that. Then we get our happily ever after with the crew as they go on to finish their senior year and realize Ocean Beach isn't so bad, and while they may go away for a while, Ocean Beach will always be home.

Why don't we have that series??? I would read the heck out of that series! And the really sad thing is that those are all elements that are there in this hastily cobbled together follow up book. Lawson makes mention of or teases and then does nothing with almost every single scenario I've suggested (I expounded on a few of her elements). Why bring them up if you arent going to do anything with them? Again that's why I say there was sooooooo much potential here, it just wasn't executed.

In my opinion Lawson should scrap book 2, pull it from the shelves and rework the piece breaking it up into a series. Really delve into the elements she teases, hints, or mentions and world build for her readers as the develops rich characters with full identities and connections. I would be in again if she did that. As of right now she isn't an author I would revisit.
Profile Image for Annabelle Cole.
111 reviews
August 21, 2023
yeh okay I liked the drama okay but it was so obvious it was going to be avery and I really just wish she'd ended up with one of them. and like 'yeh I want to build a life with the men I love' like babe do you think you're gonna be in a marriage with four of them and then have a kid with each like what?! and I love how it's so unrealistic that everyone around her is like 'yeh girl it's chill live your life' and doesn't think it's the weirdest thing ever!
I only read this because I wanted to see who she ended up with and wanted it so badly to be ONE PERSON.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Teresa .
372 reviews9 followers
August 8, 2023
I've read this book at least a dozen times, I've never reviewed it.....I had no clue.

Every time I finish I want more, more of the boys, more of Summer. I love Ange's writing, whether it's the carefree loving characters or the ones so angsty they rip your heart out.

This hands down is an amazing series, and if I got a snippet even further down the road I wouldn't ever complain. Such a great read.
Profile Image for Mariana Montalvo.
13 reviews5 followers
January 29, 2019
💖

Love this book I just got one question is there going to be a book showing how there lives have continued because I would truly love that 💖
Profile Image for Kala Urban.
122 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2025
2.5⭐️ this book actually had a plot which was way more interesting. However, Summer and the boys? Still dumb.
Profile Image for Jennifer G.
2,882 reviews54 followers
October 18, 2018
Summer and The Boys of Ocean Beach are back home after surviving the school year apart. Summer successfully balanced four boyfriends, four long-distance relationships, and managed her classload but now the real challenge begins. During school there were visits, one-on-ones; now they will all be together under the watchful eyes of the small town. Now she will have to make sure that her attention is spread evenly among the guys, that no one feels left out or jealous. How will the guys adjust, how will she? Will the town gossip take off and their reputations be ruined? And it's not just her and the guys; everything is different this summer. She's a local now, no longer a tourist. Her mom owns a bookstore run my Summer's cousin Anita. Summer will be working at the store and with her mom's successful book tour ending, Julia will be coming back too. The huge success of her latest book has made Julia a famous writer. Tons of fans and a few crazies, some more dangerous than expected.

I love this book. I love the normalcy captured in this unusual relationship. Girl meets boy. Girl falls for boy. Girl wonders if she's good enough to keep the boy happy. Multiply this by four. Summer's worries are the same worries that any girl has when she first falls in love. This book is a series of summer snapshots. Summer, Justin, Pete, Whit, and Nick. Burgers, ice cream, sand, bikinis, and hot surfers. Walking, talking, long drives, and local dances. Couples spending real time together, getting to know the town better, getting to know each other better. Settling in. Learning to trust. Falling deeper in love. A little sexy time. There is a bit of drama but I'm not going to give even a clue as to what it is. Just know it's a clever little threat. The rest of the angst is all on a personal level, making life decisions, trying to do what's best personally and in the relationship.

Every Summer has a story. This one is all about love. Family love, lasting friendships, forever love. Live life your way, love your way. Enjoy an Endless Summer.

*I have to add how much I love this cover. So perfect for the story!
Profile Image for Heather.
86 reviews1 follower
November 4, 2020
Really loved this short series...

This was really a great two book read. Pollyamorous relationships are tricky to navigate because of the judgement of others and how bad other people can make you feel for loving more then one person at the same time. Summer really grew as a person over the 2 books and learned what matters is how her and the guys feel not what others think and its a powerful message.
I wish their had been stories like this around when I was younger cause it would have helped me immensely and I'm hoping younger people are seeing this authors stories and learning to just be who they are meant to be not whom society tells them they should be.
I had a 7 yr relationships with 2 wonderful people who I loved very much and for all of us it worked very openly and blissfully happily...until it didn't for 1 of us who felt the pressure to be in a "normal" relationship and they let their family destroy something beautiful. So if you are in a love situation with multiple people who all know about each other and are honest about it go for it and just be happy 😊 🎶 You only get 1 life don't waste it on other people's hang ups.
Profile Image for SJ.
2,402 reviews15 followers
October 20, 2018
This is the follow on to Summers Kiss, Summer and her boys are off at school and work and trying to keep things going. Now back again for the summer they are reconnecting and getting some time together. Summers feelings are causing her some anxiety especially after her last relationship.

Well written, this writer creates some absolutely gorgeous contemporary reverse harem romances and this is just another example of that. With a fantastic storyline and characters I just feel in love with. The story pace is fast paced enough to keep interested but not too fast to miss things, with excitement drama romances and some real tenderness I love this story and look forward to more by this writer
474 reviews5 followers
April 24, 2024
When you think its gone. Light shows you the way. Bonding in similarity bring you even closer

I really enjoyed this duet. I loved the characters too. I cant tell you how I knew something like this was going to happen but I had a feeling and I had a feeling it was going to be Avery cause how everyone said he was weird. Anyways way to go author. I just wish authors would write and extended epilog so we can see them from yrs after. With kids without kids their careers. Also of they lasted. We saw in her Monolog that she loved the guys but we only saw Whit say it. Yes I know they all said pretty much that with their words but it's nice to hear(read) it from them. Anyways I like this is a great duet.
Profile Image for Brooke.
154 reviews
July 7, 2023
Ok, so the characters grew on me enough to read the second book in 24 hours. Gotta say Pete and Justin are my favs. I definitely pictured Witt as Alex Saxon. 🤷🏼‍♀️
This book was a little darker, and moved quicker. But was also, more predictable in it’s own way.

Much like the first book, the potential was there to be executed so much better. Another round of edits to fix spelling, grammar, and some continuity errors would’ve helped a lot.

Was it a great book? No.
Do I recommend it? Not exactly?
Did I have fun? Yes!
Am I glad I read it? Sure.
Profile Image for Anouk.
133 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2018
Loved it

Although I had some starting problems with this book (I bought book 2 and it content was the same as book 1, but thanks to the help of angel it got worked out!) I really loved this story. It has sass, love and suspense and a good ending to this series.
Thank you Angel for this lovely story and your help, you are one of my favorite writers at this moment!
323 reviews
November 7, 2018
Such a great story! I had not anticipated the storyline going the way it did, but I thought it was so well done and holy wow entertaining! I was expecting there to be more conflict with some of the new characters introduced, and was a little disappointed when that didn’t pan out.

This book, and the series in general, are great for a primarily light hearted and quick read.
17 reviews
July 12, 2023
The way I ALMOST DIED when the letters were happening and IT WAS AVERY I WAS SCREAMING.

She is a warrior for for the fighting back and shay. I wasn’t a fan of her at first but she was so sweet in the end.

This was another really cute read that i enjoyed throughout the days that i read it. (i even finished it at the beach on my kindle)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cati K.
177 reviews
September 18, 2023
this should have been longer. the epilogue should have gone much further than three months ahead. It feels like we were robbed of seeing how everyone’s lives together played out. The potential for a full length novel was there so I’m really unsure why the author would chose to write such a short sequel, ESPECIALLY when a twist was added. It just felt so rushed and unfinished.
Profile Image for Melissa Hickman.
1,043 reviews14 followers
October 27, 2018
Great read!!!!

I really enjoyed this series!!! Summer and her guys were wonderful characters and their love story was amazing! There was mystery and romance that made the story a great read. I will definitely continue to buy this authors books!!!!
Profile Image for Candice Franz.
55 reviews
November 26, 2018
Love

I absolutely love this series I wish there was more to it and I hope somewhere down the line there could be more to the ending but I love how happy everyone is and I love your writing style!
Profile Image for Rachelmae Welch.
13 reviews
May 3, 2019
Good read

This is good easy read for young adults. It has an interesting story line with some good twists. I can easily see this book being longer and more in-depth but nonetheless it’s still a good book.
Profile Image for Catherine Leigh.
1,522 reviews7 followers
November 5, 2020
Great ending to this 2 book series

I really enjoyed this book, it really ties up the story perfectly.
It’s well written, has done great steamy scenes and quite a few twists along the way.
Overall a fantastic book, will definitely read more book by this author.
Profile Image for Brandy.
108 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2023
Take Me To The Beach, Please!

Oh my god, I can not express how much I loved this series and the Ocean Beach boys. I am so so sad the story has come to an end, but very grateful to Angel for blessing me with a series that’s made up of all my favorite things to read!
Profile Image for Kaylin Judd.
67 reviews1 follower
July 18, 2023
I like the original plot line. In #1, Girl spontaneously moves to small beach town with her mom. 4 boys capture her heart. But I’m not a fan of the 4-some, I was really hopeful that Summer would choose 1 boy to be with in this 2nd book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kait.
5 reviews13 followers
November 23, 2023
I feel like this book has SO much potential but it felt rushed and there was a ton of grammar errors that distracted me. Was drawn in a few times but other times I had to force myself to finish it. I enjoyed the 1st book better- that also had a lot of potential.
157 reviews
October 20, 2018
We need half stars on here goodreads!!! Three and a half stars
Profile Image for Daisy Delfin.
1,497 reviews180 followers
October 21, 2018
Nice Ending to Angels Contempory RH series. I did not expect the plot but I liked it.
Profile Image for Bianca Souza.
285 reviews38 followers
October 24, 2018
I really like this series but I have a problem with books that keep the story open in the end...
Profile Image for Siri.
1,219 reviews69 followers
November 25, 2018
2,7*
Meh it was alright ending i expected more tho
452 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2018
Great book

Another one that left me almost in tears because it was over. Angel has a way with words and I love them all. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop.
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